"Report!" As soon as Yakov assigned the combat mission to Melekhov's 49th Infantry Corps, Bezikov walked into the headquarters and reported to Sokov: "Captain Feng from the International Brigade wants to see you. .”

Learning that Captain Feng wanted to see him, Sokov couldn't help but be full of curiosity. What would happen if the other party came to see him at this time? He quickly said to Bezikov: "Comrade Major, quickly invite Captain Feng in!"

 A few minutes later, Captain Feng followed Bezikov into the headquarters.

"Hello, Captain Feng." Sokov stood up, shook hands with the other party, and asked politely: "What do you want from me?"

"Yes, Comrade Commander." Captain Feng nodded and said, "I heard that you plan to send troops to attack Zhengjiatun. I want to participate in the battle."

“Zhengjiatun?!” Sokov heard this place name and said in surprise: “What place is it?”

“This is where the 44th Army Headquarters of the Kwantung Army is located.” Captain Feng explained to Sokov: “This place is located at the junction of the three provinces of Jilin, Liaoning, and Inner Mongolia. It is a battleground for military strategists, and its strategic position is very important.”

Sokov stared at the location on the map for a long time, feeling that he had not heard of this place in later generations, and it must have been renamed.

It may be that Sokov spent too long looking at the map, which caused Captain Feng to misunderstand. He introduced to Sokov: "The 44th Army was originally called the Kwantung Defense Force. It was formed after the Soviet-German War broke out. Their mission is When the plan to go north was implemented again, it became the first batch of troops to attack the Soviet Union. On May 30 this year, the designation was officially changed to the 44th Army. Lieutenant General Yoshio Hongo served as the commander. The chief of staff was Lieutenant General Nobura Obata. Kenichi Kishikawa was under his command. The 63rd Division, Abe Koichi's 107th Division, Suzuki Keihisa's 117th Division and the 9th Independent Tank Brigade, and the third front's combat sequence of Li Shiyu's Gong Jun."

 In fact, the contents of Captain Feng's report were reported to Lukin, Yakov and others a few days ago. However, Sokov had just been relieved of his post at that time and was not in the mood to stay at the headquarters, so he missed the report.

“Captain Feng, the information you provided is very useful.” Sokov heard what Captain Feng said in his report: “When you told me this, did you want to go to the combat troops?”

"What you said is very correct, Comrade Commander." Seeing that Sokov guessed what he was thinking, Captain Feng did not hide it, nodded and said truthfully: "In this battle to liberate my motherland, how can I I can stay in the rear and do nothing. I ask you to send me to the frontline combat troops, even as a scout."

"Captain Feng, you are the intelligence section chief of the 88th International Brigade. If you are asked to serve as an ordinary scout, you are really overqualified." When Sokov thought of fighting the Kwantung Army, he wanted to go to the front line to command in person, even if he couldn't It is also a happy thing to kill a few little devils with your own hands, but to see them become an organic whole and be annihilated by your own troops. But due to his current status, he could only hide this desire deep in his heart. He readily agreed to Captain Feng's request to go to the front line in person: "I agree with you to go to the front line combat troops, but Not as a scout, but as an intelligence officer, assisting General Melekhov in commanding operations. Do you understand?"

Hearing Sokov's arrangements for him, Captain Feng was so moved that his nose felt sore. He nodded and replied: "Comrade Commander, please rest assured that I will definitely assist General Melekhov."

"Comrade Commander," shortly after Captain Feng left, the director of the Communications Corps came to Sokov with a telegram and reported to him: "I just received a strange telegram, which seems to be from someone from the Kwantung Army. The team wants to establish some kind of connection with us.”

"Establish some kind of contact?" Sokov heard the director of the communications corps say this and muttered to himself: Could it be that one of the Japanese troops couldn't hold on anymore and decided to lay down their weapons and surrender to themselves? But this seems unlikely. After all, the war has just begun. Even if the Kwantung Army is in trouble, it is impossible for a commander to surrender on the first day when he sees that the situation is not good. He asked rhetorically: "Which unit of the Kwantung Army is contacting us?"

The director of the communications corps took a look at the contents of the telegram and replied: "It's Asano's troops."

"Asano unit?" After Sokov repeated the unit's name, he turned to look at Yakov and Lukin, hoping to get some useful information from them, but the two of them shook their heads in unison, saying that they had no idea. I didn't know about such an army.

"Here comes someone." Sokov called a staff officer and told him: "Call Captain Feng back quickly and tell him that I have something important to see him."

After receiving the notice, Captain Feng hurried back with the staff. After raising his hand in salute, he asked breathlessly: "Comrade Commander, what are your instructions?"

“Captain Feng,” Sokov looked at Captain Feng and asked, “Do you know what Asano’s troops do?”

"Asano's force?" Captain Feng frowned and thought. After a while, he said to Sokov: "Yes, Comrade Commander, I know this force. Their main members are all after the tsar was overthrown. Among the Belarusian soldiers who fled to the northeast, the most famous ones were the troops of Semyonov and Beshgov. They participated in the intervention army in their small days from 1918 to 1919 and launched an attack on the Soviet Union. After the failure, they fled into In the Northeast, he became a bandit. Later, under the coercion and inducement of Xiaozhi, Semyonov defected to the Japs and became a special force specially designed to deal with the Soviet Union."

“What about Beshgov?” Yakov interrupted and asked, “Did he be eliminated in the battle with our army?”

"No, Beshgov fled to the Northeast after his defeat, attached himself to the Northeastern Army, and relied on the weapons, ammunition and supplies they provided to survive. In the Middle East Road Incident in 1929, Beshgov, who participated in the war with the Northeastern Army, After suffering huge losses, they fled to Ergun and expanded their strength there. They used the equipment provided by the Northeast Army to burn, kill and loot, turning the Ergun area into a slaughterhouse and giving the locals It brought great disaster to the common people. After the September 18th Incident, Beshgov and his troops also defected to the Kwantung Army, and together with the troops of the coward Semyon, they were organized into the Asano Force."

After figuring out what was going on with Asano's troops, Sokov asked tentatively: "Captain Feng, tell me, what is the purpose of Asano's troops contacting us at this moment?"

"Their purpose is very simple." Captain Feng said disdainfully: "They saw that their Kwantung Army master was dying and were worried about being wiped out by us, so they tentatively contacted us to see if our army could accept them. "

“Do you know how many personnel there are in this unit and what its equipment is like?” Sokov asked.

Captain Feng nodded and continued: "After Semyonov and Beshgov's troops were unified into the Asano Force, there were more than 4,000 people at the most. From equipment, clothing, to barracks and logistics, it can be said that They are the best among the Kwantung Army. But their combat effectiveness and military discipline are the worst. They have harassed nearby villages many times, but they did not want to be defeated by the people in the villages. Not to mention dozens of people were killed on the spot, as well as the above Hundreds of people were captured.”

 After figuring out the virtues of Asano's troops, Yakov looked at Sokov and asked: "Misha, what do you think about accepting this army?"

"Comrade Director of the Communications Corps," Sokov told the Director of the Communications Corps: "Call back to the other party, identify us to them, and ask them what their plans are." After arranging for the Director of the Communications Corps to send the report, Sokov told everyone Said: "Although this unit is useless, it is still okay to let them cause a little trouble for the little devils. As for how to deal with them in the future, we will wait until our army defeats the little devils."

Everyone thinks that Sokov's arrangement is quite reasonable. Although Asano's troops have little combat effectiveness, they are still thousands of people with weapons. To completely deal with them, at least one regiment of troops must be dispatched. It would be better to be conciliatory, pretend to agree to their surrender, and let them fight with the little devils in order to reduce the casualties of our troops.

Ten minutes later, the director of the communications corps came over with a telegram and reported to Sokov: "Comrade Commander, the reply has arrived." They said in the telegram that when they saw our soldiers approaching the border, they felt that they were in the wrong team before, and now they have We suddenly wake up and prepare to strike back against the Kwantung Army, hoping to be accepted by us."

"Comrade Director of the Communications Corps, call them back." Sokov said: "I agree to accept them, but they must be independent from the Kwantung Army's organization and actively act to assist our army in combat operations."

Perhaps because important members of Asano's troops were guarding the radio station, not long after the telegram was sent out, he received a reply, which briefly stated: "We will hold a riot at 10 a.m. on August 10. We hope that We can get support from the Soviet army."

Since the other party had already announced the timing of the riot, Sokov naturally could not pretend not to know. He asked the director of the communications corps to call back: "I hope your ministry will immediately send liaison personnel to contact the vanguard of our army and discuss coordinated operations between the two parties. matters."

After sending the telegram, Sokov wrote a simple order on the table, handed it to Captain Feng, and said to him: "Captain Feng, please give my order to Melekhov." General, and told him that we can accept the surrender of this force, but before the end of the war, people must be sent to closely monitor them. As for how to deal with them in the end, after the war is over, the superiors will make the final decision. "

After Captain Feng left with Sokov's order, Yakov approached Sokov and asked in a low voice: "Misha, what do you think your superiors will do with this Asano force?"

"Yasha, the answer is very clear." Sokov said with a wry smile: "If you think about the final fate of the puppet army commanded by Vlasov, then this **** Asano unit will also face the same fate. fate."

"This matter must be kept strictly confidential and must not be leaked." Lu Jin said sternly: "If the officers and soldiers of Asano's army knew what fate awaited them after they surrendered, I think something unexpected would happen. ."

“Comrade Deputy Commander is right.” Lu Jin’s words reminded Sokov, and he quickly added: “Things about Asano’s troops must be kept strictly confidential. Don’t let the news leak, so as not to cause trouble later.”

 At midnight, Melekhov called Sokov: "Comrade Commander, I have something to report to you."

"whats the matter?"

"You asked Captain Feng of the International Brigade to bring me an order." Melekhov said: "It is about the recruitment of the Asano troops of the Kwantung Army."

“Yes, that’s what happened.” Sokov asked, “How about it? Did they send someone to contact you?”

"No, Comrade Commander." Melekhov said unexpectedly: "My people arrived at the designated location and waited for several hours, but did not see the liaison personnel sent by the other party, so I called you to ask Ask what happened."

“General Melekhov, I don’t know the specific situation.” Sokov said into the microphone: “Let me understand the situation first, and I will tell you when I have the news.”

After putting down the phone, Sokov called the director of the communications corps to him and said to him: "Comrade director of the communications corps, please contact the Asano troops immediately and ask them why they did not send liaison personnel to contact us as agreed."

The director of the communications corps returned to ask the radio operator to send a message to the other party, but he did not receive any response.

When Sokov learned the news, he couldn't help but frowned. Could it be that the people in Asano's army were deceiving him?

Yakov also came over and asked Sokov tentatively: "Misha, do you think this is a conspiracy of the little devils, trying to divert our attention through this matter?"

"I don't think so." Before Sokov could speak, Lu Jin said first: "You know, our army is not the only one participating in this Far East Campaign. The enemy has too much time to take care of himself now, so there is no time for any conspiracy. , I think something unexpected may have happened.”

“I think so.” Sokov nodded and said, “Is it possible that there was a problem with their radio station, which caused the communication to be interrupted?”

"This possibility is unlikely." Lu Jin shook his head again and said: "Captain Feng has already said that the equipment of Asano's troops is the best in the Kwantung Army. I am afraid that there is more than one radio station assigned to them, even if it is broken. One, and there are other radio stations that can continue to be used. The interruption of contact can only mean one problem, that is, their plan has been exposed, and the entire army has been wiped out by the Kwantung Army."

"No way?" Yakov said in surprise: "Even if their attempt is discovered by the Kwantung Army, it may not be easy to eliminate them in a short time."

"Nothing is impossible, Comrade Chief of Staff." Lu Jin continued: "Although the Kwantung Army has been defeated by our army, it should not be difficult to eliminate a unit that attempts to rebel. Besides, this unit His fighting ability is extremely poor, and he can’t even defeat the villagers.”

"Yasha." After listening to Lukin's words, Sokov felt that what he said was very reasonable. He nodded and said to Yakov: "You should contact General Melekhov immediately and ask him to arrange for manpower to go to Asano's troops as soon as possible. Conduct reconnaissance at the stationed location to find out what happened.”

"Okay." Yakov nodded, "I immediately called General Melekhov and asked him to send scouts to conduct reconnaissance in the area."